For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.
For today’s suit pick, we’re loving this linen/cotton blend from Ann Taylor Loft, available only online. We like that it comes in navy, white and a creamy beige, as well as that it’s available in sizes 00-18 in regular and petites. We know, short-sleeved jackets get a bad rap sometimes, but this one truly does strike us as a perfect solution for a situation where it’s ridiculously hot and you’re still expected to look presentable. The jacket (Linen/Cotton Jacket with Waist Tie) is $79.50, and the skirt (Linen/Cotton Pencil Skirt) is $59.50. Matching cropped pants (not pictured) are also available in two fits for $69.50 each. (Julie Linen/Cotton Cropped Pants and Marisa Linen/Cotton Cropped Pants).
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Cute with the skirt. A suit with cropped pants always strikes me as funny – if a suit is required/appropriate, chances are cropped pants aren’t (in my opinion).
I think that the cropped pants-suit thing is a fashion statement, not a thing people who have to wear suits actually wear. Women who can dress casually would wear it to work because it looks cute, not because they need to show up in a suit. It’s like button downs that have the top three buttons missing. If you actually need to wear a button down, you’re not wearing that one.
Good point Dee. But the thought of showing up to work in cropped pants and a suit jacket is hilarious to me. I can’t even say it without laughing.
I live in a SoCal area where, evenings and weekends, cropped pants are everywhere. Have never ever once seen them worn for work.
I don’t understand why you would make a suit out of a linen blend — wrinkles do not = professional (same goes for cropped pants – if I have to wear a suit, cropped pants – let alone wrinkled cropped pants – are probably not going to work)
Normally I would agree, but I have a linen blend dress by AT Loft and it hardly wrinkles at all! I think the linen blends aren’t always like linen.
DJ I was about to post the same thing! I have a black linen/cotton ATL suit. The jacket nearly identical to the post, and a longer, fuller skirt. I love it! It doesn’t wrinkle as you might expect from 100%linen, and I always get compliments on the look.
I am an AT Loft fan — I’m making a note to do some window shopping and take a look at the fabric in person ;-)
Ever since I discovered regular AT, I can’t set foot in the Loft stores. Even though I’m on a budget, I think AT is leaps + bounds better and nicer than Loft. And this suit is only one example of why.
linen blend may not wrinkle as much. And also because this is the type of thing you could wear somewhere other than a professional setting. I could see wearing this to some summer social setting. I don’t know what, but I can imagine it, especially with the pants, for a sort of put-together-yet-still-somewhat-casual look.
Linen blend/linen are fine in some areas and not other. Many people wear linen in FL in the summer because it’s hot here. I got a linen blend suit from Loft a few years ago and was not out of place wearing it here.
Threadjack (don’t hate me — I need the help!)
Ladies – On a whim I applied for a dream job – you know, a I’ll-never-get-it-so-why-not-apply… and got a phone interview… followed by the HR guy calling to say that yet a third person would call to schedule an in person interview.
That was Friday… I have not yet heard from person 3 to schedule, so I’m wondering
- should I e-mail person 3?
- call person 3?
- call person 1 (who I would be reporting to)
- call person 2 (hr guy)
? Thoughts? I’m feeling somewhat…anxious :-(
I would get in contact with the HR guy via email. Something like, I’m so excited to speak with Person 3, but they haven’t contacted me yet. Should I reach out to him/her?
I would call the HR guy first thing Friday morning, and I would say something like what Dee said in her draft email.
Update – Had a voice-mail from Hr Person 3 to call to schedule a ‘half day interview with various people’… oh my
Time to break out the suit… !
Thanks guys – I really appreciate the help!
Good luck!
Thanks… my nervous level is definitely high. Part of me really wants this, the other part is terrified of wanting it, and not getting it… It’s like dating, only with less attractive clothes and more people… perhaps speed dating combined with an old fashioned courtship??
So funny! Good Luck I hope you get it!
Wait a full week, however on Fridays tasks fall through the cracks, so call Monday. I would not email, as they can be ignored/lost.
As to who – it depends on how rigid the office hierarchy is. If it is a small office, you could likely call person 1. A call to person 2 will work whether the entity is small or large. Calling person 3 might call them out on their bad task management (if that is indeed the case), and person 3 might not have even received the task from person 2.
If it’s the government, call person 1.
Love the patterned top showing underneath the jacket. Everyone needs a little pattern. My Design Guide.com
I thought the shirt tail that peeps out at the bottom was a no no. I have struggled with that for awhile since the style on non-tucked blouses has been longer for years now but some of the jackets are not as long. I thought it looked far too casual or sloppy or even worse, like you didn’t notice that your jacket was too short. Do others wear the shirt sticking out the bottom?
I love the outfit for Sunday brunch or casual Friday but I wouldn’t consider this to be professional attire.
Dislike it on myself, but I don’t think I’ve ever noticed it on others.
Also not a fan of shirttails hanging out!
Just looks sloppy/unintentional whenever I’ve seen it (and definitey on myself!)
I agree with you about the peeping shirt. It may look okay in a photo but in person it just looks sloppy.
could the navy jacket be worn with black pants? seems like it’s a light enough shade of navy, but I never know for sure what looks good together..
I think if it’s light enough (you’d have to see the two items next to each other), it’s fine. I have a blue theory blazer (also short sleeved) that I wear with black bottoms & either a black or white tee in the summer & it looks good.
I think the rule is that it has to look intentional, not accidental (as in you did not realize) — so as long as the contrast is substantial enough, you’re ok.
I like this suit a lot for summer. I’m from the South and work at a pretty conservative firm. This look would definitely be good (except for court, deposition, etc.) For a “normal” day, this would be fantastic.
Ok, I actually like this and would enjoy the navy for summer. I just visited the website and have to say, SINCE WHEN DOES LOFT CARRY MORE SUIT OPTIONS THAN REGULAR ANN TAYLOR??
ok. I’m done. :)
In my area Loft has always carried more suit options in summer than regular Ann Taylor- the linen/seersucker variety. AT just gets rid of its suit selection entirely in favor of other clothes.
I totally agree that suits are the easiest to throw on for any working woman. They are always professional, and when done right fashionable.
I love this suit, it’s casual yet professional. I also found another site that had some great ideas for spring/summer suits. If you are looking for an awesome power suit at a good deal, you should check it out. http://www.what2wearwhere.com/blog/post/2010/04/12/What-to-Wear-Spring-Pant-Suits.aspx